Foot-operated vise having bevel gear drive



April 11, 1961 J. H. DE HART 2,978,935

FooT-oPERATED vIsE HAVING BEvEL GEAR DRIVE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 5 LH 2% W' L 7 3 my /03 /Z f7@ 0)'22 mmm j# l I l Z4 f' downwardly facing FOOT-@PERATED VISE HAVING BEVEL GEAR DRIVE John H. De Hart, 497B New Haven Ave., Milford, Conn. Filed Sept. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 840,384 4 Claims. (Cl. til- 17) This invention relates generally to bench vises and particularly to those which may be operated by foot.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved foot-operated bench vise which includes improved footoperated means for moving the usual movable jaw member of the vise,

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved vise, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein the foot-operated means includes a direct bevel gear drive.

The above and other objects and further details of that which I believe to be novel and my invention will be clear from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a partial sideelevational view and a partial sectional View taken principally on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, of an improved bench vise and the upper portion of foot-operated means therefor which incorporates the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevational view and a partial sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 of the bottom portion of the foot-operated means;

Fig. 4 isa side elevational view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. A

Referring to the drawings, the improved vise is generally indicated by reference numeral and illustrated as being rigidly mounted above a Hoor surface on a work bench B. If Figs. 1 and 3 are considered as a single view, as they well might, it will be observed that the vise 10 and bench that the lower portion of foot-operated means for operating the vise, designated generally by reference numeral 12, is disposed below the operated means 12 is operatively connected to the vise 10, but this connection is broken vertically centrally in the composite Figs. 1 and 3 views.

With reference particularly to Figs. l and 2, it will be observed that the vise lil includes a vise body 14 having a flat disk-like horizontally disposed mounting plate 16 and an upstanding portion 18 having a longitudinally extending guideway 20 formed therethrough and a stationary vise jaw 22 supported at its upper end. The vise body 14 may be operation of the vise 10, after its angular position relative to the bench B has been initially set, it remains stationary.

The vise body 14 supports a movable jaw member, as will be subsequently described in detail. It is desirable in practice to permit the vise body 14 and movable jaw member to be pivotal about a vertical axis so as to permit their selective angular positioning relative to the bench. Any convenient known angular adjusting means may be utilized for this purpose. As illustrated, the lower surface of the mounting plate B are spaced above the floor F andY vice and bench. The foot-' considered to be stationary, for duringV 16 has been provided with an upwardly extending circular recess 24 and a vertically extending opening 26, and the mounting plate 16 is supported on an upwardly extending circular projection 28 formed on a vise bed 30, that is rigidly connected to the bench B, as yby nut and bolt assemblies 32. Therefore, the vise body 14 is pivotally supported on the `bed 30 and it may be locked in any angular position to which it is adjusted by any conventional known means, such as the illustrated swivel bolt 34, lock nut 36, lever 38 arrangement. In the illustrated arrangement, the swivel bolt 34 extends through an arcuate slot 40 formed in the bed 30 and its head is located in and rides in an arcuate groove 42 formed in the underside of the bed which communicates and is co-extensive with the slot. The lock nut 36 is rotatably mounted in the opening 26 formed in the mounting plate 16. The overall arrangement is such that after the vise body 14 has been moved to its desired position relative to bed 30, by utilizing the lever 38 in a known manner the lock nut 36 is rotated in the opening 26 in a direction to draw the swivel bolt 34 toward it to lock the vise body 14 in the desired angular position relative to the bed 36 and bench B. Operationof theA lever 38 in the opposite direction results in unlocking and permits angular adjustment. After the vise body 14 has been adjusted angularly it may be considered to be stationary during operation of the vise.

The vise includes a movable jaw member 44 (previously referred to) that has a longitudinally extending shank 46 which is channel-shaped in cross section and slidably guided for longitudinal movement relative to the vise body 14 in the guideway 20 thereof. Jaw lmember 44 includes a jaw 48 that is disposed relative to the stationary jaw 22 so as to cooperate therewith in a known manner during operation of the vise to clamp or release work. The movable jaw member 44 may be moved either by hand or foot operated means, depending on which is more convenient for the operator. Each of these means isselectively utilized independently of the other and is capable of providing` the desired longitudinal movement of the movable jaw 48 relative to the stationary jaw 22 to either clamp or release a piece of work therebetween. Some of the elements of these means are common to both the hand-operated and the footoperatcd means. However, this invention is principally concerned with improvements in the foot-operated means.

Rigidly iixed to, or if desired integrally formed with, the vise body 14, is a feed nut block 50. If the feed nut block 5t) is a separate element, it is rigidly secured to, and extends above the upper surface of, the mounting plate 16 by the securing bolts 51. The feed nut block S0 is disposed within the guideway 20 of the vise body '14 and the cavity formed by the channel-shaped shank 46 of the movable jaw member 44. Feed nut block 50 includes a longitudinal horizontally extending threaded bore 52 which is formed with a feed screw fast thread.

Feed screw 54 is an elongated rod-like member having external feed screw fast thread 56 formed thereon over most of its axial extent and a plain forward portion 58. Feed screw S4 has its thread 56 threadedly supported in the feed nut block bore 52 and its plain portion 58 rotatably supported in an opening 60 formed in the mov-` able jaw member 44. The plain portion 58 'extends through the opening 6d and includes an enlarged head 62 which is disposed at the front of the movable jaw` member 44 (the left hand side in Fig. 1). An adjustable collar 64 having a set Screw 66 is mounted on the plain portion 58 and disposed within the cavity formed by the channel-shaped shank 46, and aids in securing the feed screw 54 to the movable jaw member 44. The relationship of the feed screw and the movable jaw member is` such that they jointly move longitudinally when either the hand-operated moving means or the foot-operated moving means is actuated.

The hand-operated means is illustrated in Fig. 1 as simply taking the form of a handle-bar 68 which is rigidly secured to the enlargement 62 and which may be man ually turned to rotate the feed screw 54 in both the movable jaw member opening 60 and in the feed nut block bore .52. Such rotation of the feed screw 54, because of the interaction of thethread thereon and the thread in the feed nuty block bore 52, results in longitudinal movement of both the feed screw and the movable jaw member toward or away from the feed nut block 50 and the stationary vise body 14, respectively, and results in either clamping or releasing of work disposed between the jaws v4S and 22. It will be understood by those skilled inthe art that other -known hand-operated means in place of the illustrated simplified handle-bar 68 may be utilized, some of ywhich include clutching arrangements. For the purposes of the instant invention, however, it is simply necessary to know that hand-operated moving means may be utilized. However, as pointed out above, my invention is primarily concerned with the footoperated moving means.

My improved foot-operated moving means comprises an upper portion shown in Fig. 1 in the form of auxiliary means for rotating the feed screw 54, and a lower portion shown in Fig. 3 in the form of foot-actuated means for actuating the auxiliary feed screw rotating means. Disposed adjacent to the front side of the feed nut block S is a bevel gear 70 that is disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. The bevel gear 70 includes one axial side that has an annular axially projecting boss 72 formed thereon which is disposed to contact one side of the feed nut block 50. If desired, the boss 72 could be a separate Washer, or formed integrally with the feed nut block 50. The bevel gear 70 includes a plain central opening 74 that defines a cylindrical bearing surface, and this surface "netpass is disposed about the feed screw 54 and rests on the feed screw thread 56. The bevel gear 70 includes a radially inwardly extending key 76 that is slidably disposed in an elongated axially extending keyway 78 formed in the feed screw 54. The structural relationship of the bevel gear 70 and the feed screw 54 is such that in operation they are drivingly connected to rotate jointly, but the feed screw is axially slidably mounted within the bevel gear opening 74.

On the front side of the bevel gear 70 a peripheral ring of 45 teeth 80 is formed which meshes with a peripheral ring of 45 teeth 82 formed on the upwardly facing side of a bevel gear 84 that is disposed for rotation about a'vertical axis. Bevel gear S4 is rigidly secured to the upper end of upper shaft portion 86 that extends generally vertically through the mounting plate 16, bed and bench B. The bevel gear 84 is drivingly connected to shaft portion 86 in any known manner, such as by the threaded key 8,8, and its axial position thereon is fixed by adjustable set screw 90. As will become apparent subsequently, the bevel gear 84 is rotatably driven by foot-actuated mechanism, and, in turn, rotat- -ably drives bevel gear 70. Therefore, both bevel gears 70 and 84 are driven bevel gears.

The structural relationship of the feed nut block 50, feed screws 54, driven bevel gear 70 and driven bevel gear 84 is such that in operation the bevel gear '70 and feed screw 54 rotate jointly when the bevel gear 84 rotates the bevel gear 70, but only the feed screw 54 moves longitudinally, because the axial position of the bevel gear 70 is substantially fixed. The axial position of bevel gear '70 is fixed on one of its sides by contact of its boss 72 with the feed nut block 50, and on the other of its sides by its being meshed with the bevel gear S4. Therefore, rotation of the driven bevel gear 84 causes joint rotation of the driven bevel gear 'l0 and the feed screw S4, and rotation of the latter in the feed nut block 50 results in longitudinal movement of the feed screw in one or the 4 I other axial directions depending on the angular direction of rotation of the feed screw and driven bevel gears. Longitudinal movement of feed screw 54 results in joint movement of the movable jaw member 44, toward or away from the stationary vise body 14.

The upper shaft portion 86 extends through an opening 92 in the mounting plate 16, and opening g4 in the bed 30 and a vertically extending tube 96, the upper end of which is threadedly secured to the bed 30. Adjacent the lower end of the tube 96 there is disposed on the shaft portion 86 an adjustable collar 98 having an adjustable set screw 100. The collar 98 may be rigidly connected to the upper shaft portion 86 in any desired position to enable vertical adjustment of the driven bevel gear 84 on the upper end of the shaft portion S6. This relationship can best be seen in Fig. l, wherein it may also be observed that the driven bevel gear 84 has an annular horizontally extending downwardly facing boss 102 which rests on and is supported by the rim portion of the mounting plate 16 that surrounds the opening 92 and has bearing contact therewith.

` As can best be seen in Fig. 3, the lower end of upper shaft portion 86 is formed with a female spline 104 which is arranged to cooperate with the male spline 106 formed on the upper end of lower shaft portion 10S. The lower end of the lower shaft portion 103 extends through an opening 110 formed in the top wall 112 of the housing which forms a part of the foot-operated means 12. At its lower end, which is disposed below the top wall 112 within the housing, the lower shaft portion 108 rigidly carries a driving bevel gear 114, which may be keyed thereto in any convenient manner, as by the key 116. Rigidly secured to the lower shaft portion 108 adjacent the upper side of top wall 112, is an adjustable collar 118 having an adjustable set screw 120 which is utilized to locate and mount the lower shaft portion 108 on the top wall 112. It should be particularly observed in Fig. 5 that the male spline 106 does not extend completely into the female spline 104, and therefore, a considerable amount of vertical adjustment of the shaft portions 106 and 108 relative to each other may take place automatically. Therefore, with my improved foot-operated means it is not necessary to provide separate means for adjusting the vertical height thereof.

With particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4, the construction and operation of the foot-operated means 12 may be understood. The housing of the foot-operated means 12, in addition to top wall 112, includes spaced side wall 122, spaced front and rear walls 124, and bottom wall 126, which may be rigidly secured to the door F, as by bolts 128. Rotatably mounted in the housing is a pair of coaxial spaced bevel gears 130, 132. Both ofV the bevel gears 130, 132 are in mesh with the driving bevel gear 114 and are independently drivingly connected to separate spaced coaxial stub shafts 134, 136, respectively.

Bevel gear 132 is keyed by the key 138 to the stub shaft 136 adjacent the head 140 thereof and has an annular boss 142 formed on one side thereof in contact with the inner surface of the right hand side wall 122. The stub shaft 136 extends through an opening 144 formed in said side wall and is rotatably supported by a bushing 146 supported therein. On the exterior of the housing, the stub shaft 136 rigidly supports a ratchet-like driving gear 148 and pivotally supports lever means for selectively moving the ratchet-like gear 148 angular'increments in one angular direction (counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4). A washer 150 and an adjustable lock nut 152 are mounted on the threaded free end 154 of the stub shaft 136 and retain the other parts thereon. The ratchet-like gear 148 is drivingly connected to the shaft 136, as by the key 156, and the relationship of the bevel gear 132, stub shaft 136 and ratchet-like gear 148 is such that they rotate jointly.

The lever means for selectively rotating the ratchet-like gear v14H8 comprises a pair of spaced parallel atbar 158 that straddl'e the ratchet-likegear 1'48 and are 4rotatably supported on the stub shaft 136 near one `of theirl ends. The bars 158 are rigidly fixed to each other by spacers 160. A coil spring 162 has one of its ends anchored to a pin 164 fixed to an end of one of the bars 158 and its other end secured lto a pin 166 fixed to the right hand side wall 122 (see Fig. 4). Another coil spring 168 has one of its ends secured to a pin 170 fixed to said side wall 122 and its other end fixed to a pin 172 which is carried by a pivotal lever 174 carried by the bars 158. The pivotal lever 174 includes a pawl-like projection 176 at one of its ends, a foot pedal 178 at its other end, and is pivotally supported on a pvot pin 180 that is xed to the bars 158 intermediate their ends. The spring 162 normally biases the bars 158 clockwise aS shown in Pig. 4. The spring 168' normally biases the lever 174 clockwise relative to both the housing and the bars 158, as shown in Fig. 4. In its normal position (shown in Fig. 4) the pawl-like projection 176 of the lever 174 is spaced from the teeth of the ratchet-like gear 148, and therefore does not interfere with or cause its rotation, the bars 158 are biased to their up position, and the lever 174 is biased to its up position limited by stop 181.

With reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the associated elements of the left-hand bevel gear 130 and its supporting stub shaft 134 which correspond to those of light-hand bevel gear 132 and its stub shaft 136, just described in detail, are indicated by the same reference numerals with a prime added. It should be understood that the angular disposition of the foot-operated means 12, illustrated in Fig. 3, may be considered the front view thereof, whereas in Fig. 1 the illustration of the vise has beenreferred to as a side view thereof, the left-hand portion of Fig. 1 being considered the front of the vise. 'Ihe particular angular relationship of the vise 10 and the foot-operated means 12 may be varied simply by rotating one relative to the other.

When viewing the foot-operated means 12 shown in Fig. 3 Vfrom the front, two horizontally spaced lever means are presented to the operator, and, in particular, two foot pedals 178 and 178' face him. At this time, both ratchetlike gears 148, 148 are free of their associated cooperating pawl-like projections 176, 176 (not shown). One of the foot pedals is depressed at a time. For the purpose of explanation, assume that foot pedal 178 is depressed; if this is done, the following results (with reference t0 Fig. 4): The lever 174 rotates counterclockwse slightly about its pivot pin 180 against the bias of spring 168 and its pawl-like projection 176 engages the teeth of the ratchet-like gear 148 and rotates said gear an angular increment counterclockwise. Rotation of the ratchet-like gear 148 counterclockwise results n joint rotation of the stub shaft 136 and the bevel gear 132 .in the same direction. Rotation of bevel gear 132 results in rotation of the driving bevel gear 114, the shaft portions 108 and 86, and the driven bevel gear 84, counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 5. Rotation of the driven bevel gear 84 in this direction results in counterclockwise rotation of the driven bevel gear 70 as viewed in Fig. 2. Rotation of the driven bevel gear 70 in this direction results in joint longitudinal movement of the feed screw 54 and the movable jaw member 44 to the right (or in) as viewed in Fig. 1, a small amount. If it is desired to continue to move the movable jaw member 44 in the same direction, the foot pedal 178 may be pumped by the operator to effect `a series of incremental movements of the parts. It should be noted that in depressing the foot pedal 178, the lever 174 pivots relative to the bars 158, and the bars 158 pvot slightly counterclockwise relative to the right-hand side wall 122. It should also be noted that depression of foot pedal 178 also causes rotation of ratchet-like gear 148' and bevel gear 130, and that this is permitted because pawl-like projection 176 (not shown)"is clear of gear 148' at this time.

' If itis desired to move the movable jaw member 44 in the opposite longitudinal direction, the foot pedal 178 is depressed and pumped if desired. The directions of movement of the operating parts will be the reverse of those described in connection with depression of foot pedal 178. If foot pedal 178 is depressed, bevel gear 132 is rotated; however, at this time the pawl-like projection 176 is clear of ratchet-like gear 148, and therefore, such rotation is allowed. In this connection, it is important that the operator depress only one foot pedal at a time.

It should be noted that axial movement of the driven bevel gear 70 to the right in Fig. 1 is prevented by the feed nut block, and in this regard it should be noted that in operation the forces tending to move the driven bevel `gear 70 to the right occur only when the movable jaw member 44 is moved toward the stationary vise body 14 to clamp an object, and therefore, maximum restraining movement of the driven bevel gear 70 is required at this time. During operation, axial movement of the driven bevel gear 70 to the left in Fig. 1 is pre vented only by its meshing with the driven bevel gear 84;

in this connection it should be noted that the dispositional relationship of bevel gears 70 and 84 may be altered by adjusting the vertical position of the driven bevel gear 84 on its supporting shaft portion 86 to effect the proper meshing relationship. It is not necessary to have any more restraint of the driven bevel gear 70 to movement in the direction to the left in Fig. l, because when the driven bevel gear 7B tends to move in this direction the movable jaw member 44 is being moved away from the stationary vise body to release an object, and therefore, there is not much load on the movable jaw member 44, the feed screw 54, the feed nut block 50, the bevel gear 70 and associated parts at this time.

In my copending patent application Serial No. 829,318, filed July 24, 1959, I have disclosed and claimed an improved handor foot-operated vise. In the instant patent application I have disclosed and will claim a vise having improved foot-operated means for 'operating the vise, which may also be hand-operated in any known manner, if desired. It should be particularly noted that the foot-operated means of the instant invention possesses the advaptages of being relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. It should also be noted that the improved vise of the instant patent application does not require supplemental vertical adjusting means to enable mounting of the vise on benches of dierent heights, and that it is not necessary to angularly adjust the lower portion of the foot-operated means to maintain it in alignment with the upper portion thereof when the vise body is adjusted angularly on its bed. In other words, the lower portion of the foot-operated means may remain stationary even if the vise body is adjusted angularly.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of my invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the example illustrated, and I contemplate that various and other modifications and applications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, my intention that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A vise comprising a body including a stationary jaw, a movable jaw slidably mounted in said body for movement toward and from the stationary jaw, a feed screw for shifting the movable jaw, threaded nut means cooperating with said screw for shifting the movable jaw including a bevel gear mounted on an upright driving shaft, means mounting said body for angular adjustment about said shaft and means for locking the body in different angular positions, said shaft comprising upper and lower sections, splines provided on and. connecting said sections operable. to permit relative longitudinal adjustment, between them while providing positive. rotaryr d'rivingconn'ection between these sections, a driven bevel gear; connected to the lower section of the shaft, a drivingr. bevel gear meshing with said driven gear on each ofthe opposite sides thereof to drive it in opposite directions for turning the shaft andfshifting the movable jaw in opposite. directions, and foot-operated ratchet driving means for each driving bevel gear for operating it with a step-by-step action.

2. A vise comprising a body provided with a stationary jaw, a movable jaw, means mounting the movable jaw in the body for sliding movement toward and from the stationary jaw, a feed screw for shifting the movable jaw, threaded means cooperating with said screw for shifting the movable jaw including a bevel gear, an upright driving shaft including upper and lower sections, means mounting said gear on the upper section, an upper support including means mounting the body for turning movement to different angular positions about said shaft and means for securing it in different angular positions, said upper and lower sections of the shaft being provided with cooperating telescoping splines connecting the sections for positive rotary driving connection between them while permitting relative longitudinal sliding movement for adjustment of the shaft to different lengths, a footoperated ratchet drive means for operating said lower section-ofi thershafrt in opposite. directions. to;v shift the;

movable jaw in opposite directions, and a lower support for` the foot-operated drive. spaced below the upper supe..-

POlf- Y.

3.. A vise according to claim Z in which there; is. 2L

tubular 'bearing for the upper section of the. shaft.

mounted in the upper support.

4. A vise accordingv to claim 2 in which the foot` operated drive for the lower section of the shaft comprises a driven bevel gear mounted on saidv section, a pair of driving bevel gears meshing with said driven gear on. opposite sides. thereof to drive it in opposite directions, and a ratchet drive for each driving bevelV gear including a vertically movable `foot-operated lever.

References Cited in the le of this patent 4UNITED STATES PATENTS 

